Miami Open: Yulia Putintseva vs Rebecca Marino Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Miami Open first-round match featuring Yulia Putintseva vs Rebecca Marino on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

Yulia Putintseva vs Rebecca Marino Match Preview

Yulia Putintseva and Rebecca Marino each have a negative win-loss record in 2023. But only one of them will get a chance to arrest the slide at the Miami Open. Who will prevail?

Yulia Putintseva has been on the receiving end of some tough draws in 2023 right from the United Cup in her frist tournament of the season. Five of Putintseva’s eight defeats this year have come against top-20 opposition which goes to show that her 7-8 record for the year might not be as bad as it looks on paper. Her best result remains the round of 16 showing in Abu Dhabi. Her last tour-level win came in Dubai when she stunned Petra Martic – her best win by ranking in 2023 so far.

Rebecca Marino, meanwhile, has only managed two main draw wins this year. Marino has played three of her eight tournaments so far right from the qualifying rounds – in the Middle East. Unfortunately for the big-serving Canadian, she did not manage a win in the main draw. Two weeks ago she was humbled by Marketa Vondrousova 6-2 6-2 in the first round of Indian Wells.

Yulia Putintseva vs Rebecca Marino Prediction and Pick

Yulia Putintseva and Rebecca Marino have not played each other on the WTA Tour. Tuesday’s match at the Miami Open will be their first official meeting. Neither player is in great form, but Putintseva has shown some steely resolve in her game pushing eventual quarterfinalist Karolina Muchova to three sets in Indian Wells a fortnight ago. Marino with her big, powerful game cannot be ruled entirely on hard courts, but it is tough to see him hitting through the fiery Kazakh in three sets.